Gender inequalities of psychosomatic complaints at work vary by occupational groups of white- and blue-collar and level of skill: A cross sectional study.
Journal
PloS one
ISSN: 1932-6203
Titre abrégé: PLoS One
Pays: United States
ID NLM: 101285081
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
2024
2024
Historique:
received:
27
12
2023
accepted:
30
04
2024
medline:
11
7
2024
pubmed:
11
7
2024
entrez:
11
7
2024
Statut:
epublish
Résumé
Previous research has shown that women report more psychosomatic complaints at work than men. However, knowledge about gender inequalities in psychosomatic complaints within occupational groups and specific symptoms is lacking. This study aims to compare gender inequalities in psychosomatic complaints in the occupational groups of white-collar high-skilled, white-collar low-skilled, blue-collar high-skilled and blue-collar low-skilled workers. The study implemented a cross sectional design using data from the nationwide German Employment Survey of the Working Population on Qualification and Working Conditions conducted in 2017/ 2018. Psychosomatic complaints were operationalised by the following symptoms: headache, insomnia, tiredness, irritability, dejection, physical fatigue, and emotional fatigue. N = 20012 working German-speaking respondents were sampled. After excluding persons with missing data on the study variables, the sample consisted of N = 16359 persons. Women reported significantly more psychosomatic complaints than men in the subgroups of white-collar high-skilled and white-collar low-skilled (ps < .05), inequalities in blue-collar high-skilled and blue-collar low-skilled only being numerical. Regarding specific symptoms, women reported more psychosomatic complaints then men in the subgroups of white-collar high-skilled workers, white-collar low-skilled workers, and blue-collar low-skilled workers. Headaches, physical fatigue, and emotional fatigue were the most common symptoms. The white-collar high-skilled subgroup had the highest number of symptoms with significant gender inequalities. These effects remained after controlling for age, working hours, parental status and marital status. Gender inequalities in psychosomatic complaints are ubiquitous but vary in their frequency by occupational subgroup and specific psychosomatic complaint. Women in white-collar high-skilled jobs in particular report to be burdened more often by many specific psychosomatic symptoms. Future studies should investigate the reasons for these occupational inequalities and develop interventions to reduce health inequalities in the workplace.
Sections du résumé
BACKGROUND
BACKGROUND
Previous research has shown that women report more psychosomatic complaints at work than men. However, knowledge about gender inequalities in psychosomatic complaints within occupational groups and specific symptoms is lacking. This study aims to compare gender inequalities in psychosomatic complaints in the occupational groups of white-collar high-skilled, white-collar low-skilled, blue-collar high-skilled and blue-collar low-skilled workers.
METHODS
METHODS
The study implemented a cross sectional design using data from the nationwide German Employment Survey of the Working Population on Qualification and Working Conditions conducted in 2017/ 2018. Psychosomatic complaints were operationalised by the following symptoms: headache, insomnia, tiredness, irritability, dejection, physical fatigue, and emotional fatigue. N = 20012 working German-speaking respondents were sampled. After excluding persons with missing data on the study variables, the sample consisted of N = 16359 persons.
RESULTS
RESULTS
Women reported significantly more psychosomatic complaints than men in the subgroups of white-collar high-skilled and white-collar low-skilled (ps < .05), inequalities in blue-collar high-skilled and blue-collar low-skilled only being numerical. Regarding specific symptoms, women reported more psychosomatic complaints then men in the subgroups of white-collar high-skilled workers, white-collar low-skilled workers, and blue-collar low-skilled workers. Headaches, physical fatigue, and emotional fatigue were the most common symptoms. The white-collar high-skilled subgroup had the highest number of symptoms with significant gender inequalities. These effects remained after controlling for age, working hours, parental status and marital status.
CONCLUSIONS
CONCLUSIONS
Gender inequalities in psychosomatic complaints are ubiquitous but vary in their frequency by occupational subgroup and specific psychosomatic complaint. Women in white-collar high-skilled jobs in particular report to be burdened more often by many specific psychosomatic symptoms. Future studies should investigate the reasons for these occupational inequalities and develop interventions to reduce health inequalities in the workplace.
Identifiants
pubmed: 38990805
doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0303811
pii: PONE-D-23-38613
doi:
Types de publication
Journal Article
Langues
eng
Sous-ensembles de citation
IM
Pagination
e0303811Informations de copyright
Copyright: © 2024 Grasshoff et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
Déclaration de conflit d'intérêts
The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.